Europe, the not boring thread

[Okeefenokee]

You can't be looking the other way on such serious issues as someone writing a paper.

Papers can transmit ideas, and ideas can lead to action.

I hope europe does the smart thing and bans all this paper writing altogether, for the children.

[TheReal_ND]

It's Midsommar in Sweden. You might think that Scandinavians celebrate Midsommar the same way in Norway and Denmark. They light fires. That's all they do. They don't even call it Midsommar but Sankt Hans (St John's) since they celebrate it in a more Christian way. In Sweden it's a time for friends and family to gather around.








Children, women and sometimes even men wear a Midsummer's wreath.





At the private gatherings there are many musts. It's now time for the real mayhem to begin. It is always nice to have a Maypole on the yard and it is often decorated by the guests. They eat fresh potatoes, sourcreme and pickled herring, eggs, cured salmon, smoked salmon, meatballs (luxurious version is if they're made out of moose meat) strawberries with whipped creme. It's just like when they celebrate Christmas - a smörgåsbord of different food that you can choose from.



They play games like the ancient "kubb" (Viking chess) and just hang around. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kubb






It is important to understand that they sing different songs before drinking the schnapps called snapsvisa (schnapp's song). They are short and funny often with wellknown melodies but with changed lyrics (sometimes even a bit naughty).





Cheers to Sweden on Midsommar! A spoiled bunch indeed :p :drunk:

[TheReal_ND]

Actually, there is a big scandal that hit the Bundeswehr, which likely will get far more focus than the dismal situation of the Bundeswehr in general.

So a Bundeswehr officer with neo-nazi/extreme right connections registered as a Syrian refugee and was planning to make attacks on German politicians. Now that this happens in Germany and especially in the Bundeswehr is a huge thing in the country. Anywhere else they might see this as an individual case and make the normal inquiry about it, but not in Germany.

In the course of the investigation, it emerged that Franco A., who doesn't speak any Arabic, had registered as a Syrian refugee in early 2016.

It has also emerged that A. harbored right-wing extremist views, which he clearly expressed in a masters thesis he submitted in 2014. According to German media reports, he argued that immigration was causing a "genocide" in Europe. He also reportedly kept memorabilia of the Wehrmacht, Germany's armed forces during the Nazi era.

However, while a French commander informed the suspect's German superiors, they did not trigger any disciplinary actions and the paper was buried - a fact that German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen has called "unacceptable."

In an interview earlier this week, she lambasted the army for a "misunderstood esprit de corps" and officers "who looked the other way."

It's still unclear why A.'s superiors didn't involve the MAD (the military's counter intelligence services, the Militärische Abschirmdienst), which is tasked with preventing espionage and sabotage in the army, both in Germany and abroad. In order to do so, the MAD checks soldiers for possible extremist attitudes and activities.

See Deutsche Welle

And of course, the whole thing is a great scoop for the media, here's the British Independent:

A cell of suspected right-wing extremists operating within the German army are being investigated as the probe into an alleged terror plot widens.

Prosecutors are investigating a group of up to five people surrounding a soldier accused of posing as a Syrian refugee to carry out a “false flag” attack.

The suspect, named only as Franco A, was arrested after police traced a loaded gun he stashed at Vienna International Airport but investigations at his barracks have revealed signs of a wider network.

See German lieutenant who posed as refugee in 'false flag' terror plot could be part of neo-Nazi army Network

[SuburbanFarmer]

Damn, Nuke. Putting up your best work for this one.

The midsommer festivities look awesome. I'd love to see more cultural gatherings like that around here. It's a definite weak point in American culture.

[Otern]

Damn, Nuke. Putting up your best work for this one.

The midsommer festivities look awesome. I'd love to see more cultural gatherings like that around here. It's a definite weak point in American culture.

I totally forgot St. Hans this year. Need to go to Sweden the next year, since that's almost their national day.

That silly pole thing is the swedishest thing ever.

[Hastur]

Midsummer is our greatest party all year. I only just woke up from my hangover.

We have this stupid tradition where we sing a song about a frog and jump around the maypole. This year I couldn't help but think of Pepe. Made me crack up and I couldn't explain why.



Alicia Vikander explains it.

[Otern]

Damn, you Swedes are adorable.

And that's why we call you Söta Bror (Cute Brother).

[Hastur]

[TheReal_ND]

[Montegriffo]

Kubb has been played at our juggling convention for years. I didn't realise it was a Viking game, it was introduced to us by a German attendee so I assumed it was German.